Wire-tying machine



Aug. 28, 1928. 1,682,015

J. S. M CHESNEY WIRE TYING MACHINE Filed O t 28, 1924 5 Sheets-Sheet l J. S. MOCHESNEY WIRE TYING MACHINE Aug. 28, 1928. I 1,682,015

Filed Oct. 28, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 .1. s. McCHESNEY WIRE TYING MACHINE Filed Oct. 28, 1924 Patented Aug, 28, 33286 entree tars JOHN SHERMAN MCGHESNEY, DE CHICAGO, ILLINQIS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNIE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO THE GERRARD @QMIPANY, ING, 9F SAN FRANCISCO, @ALIFORNIA, A GOR- PQMTION' OF DELAWARE.

wrnnrvrno MACHINE.

Application tiled Dccoher 28, 1924. Serial No. 746,250.

This invention is a machine for tensioning a tie wire tightly around apackage of one character or another, and for uniting the end portions of said tie wire by a simple op era tion, the machine functioning to perform the tensioning and tying operations rapidly and effectively so as to minimize the labor and skill required for the manual application of V the wire to the package.

According to the invention, the machine embodies an appropriate frame provided with a throat for the reception of overlapping portions of a looped tie wire, a lever-controlled tension means including a plurality of rotatable heads to which the respective end portions of the tie wire are adapted to be connected, a lever-controlled tie joining means whereby the ends of the tie are united while said tie is under tension, and tie-cutting means for severing the tie adjacent the splice or knot subsequently to the tying operation, whereby the tie-cutting means operates to disconnect the machine from the applied wire tie so as to enable theoperator to shove the machine away from the applied tie.

In this apparatus, the tension means embodies a plurality of heads rotatable with a shaft, one of said heads being provided with a ratchet. The tension lever is connected or fitted loosely to the shaft, in order that said lever may be returned to a position in which it is held conveniently by hand for steadily retaining the machine with reference to the looped tie when the other lever is actuated for the performance of the tying operation. Said tension lever cooperates with the ratchet formed tension head for imparting rotative movement thereto when the lever is moved in one direction, and to this end said tension lever is provided with a dog or pawl adapted to engage with one of a series of teeth on said ratchet, whereby the tension lever may be moved in one direction for turning the ratchet, the shaft and the two tension heads in a manner to rotate said tension heads simultaneously, and thus adapt the same for puliing'on the tie wire in opposite directions and thereby place said tie wire quickly under tension, the amount of strain or pull put on the tie wire being within the discretion of the operator.

The ratchet formed tension head is restrained from otative movement in one direction by a c eck pawl or dog which cooperates with one of the ratchet teeth, said pawl or dog being independent of the feed pawl carried by the tension lever, it being understood that in my invention two pawls are employed, both-of which co-operate with the one ratchet on one rotatable tension head; One pawl, i, e. the feed pawl on the tension lever, acts to impart a rotative step feed to the ratchet formed tension head, whereas the other pawl, i. e. the check pawl, acts to restrain the ratchet formed tension head from rotative movement in an opposite direction to that which is given by the feed pawl and tension lever, said check pawl operating to preclude rotation of the ratchet formed tension head under the strain or pull of the tie wire when the latter is tensioned around the package.

My invention consists, further, of a double cutting mechanism the parts of which are coordinated for operation by a forward movement of the tie-joining lever and the cutters of which mechanism are positioned to sever surplus wire from the end portions of. the looped tie and to effect said sev'erance'of the tie close to the respective ends of the knot or splice uniting the tie to produce a closed loop or band around the package. are of simple and durable construction, readily blanked from steel and requiring the least amount of labor for their economical production, one of said cutters being so fashioned that it is free from contact with its actuating stud on the tie twisting lever during a certain period in the forward swing of said lever.

My invention includes, also, a shock absorb-- ing device carried by the tie-twisting lever and adapted to be seated upon a stationary part of the frame as said lever approaches the limit of its movement in one direction, said shock absorbing means being effective in cushioning the swing of the lever when swung rapidly forward for operating the twister and the double cutter, and said shock absorbing means functioning, also, in returning said twister operating lever to a position which will turn the twister pinion into a position for the slot in said twister pinion to register with the throat of the machine frame whereby the machine as whole may be displaced with respect to the knot or splice and to the looped tie without hindrance from the twister pinion. v

The cutters lid Other functions and advantages ofthe invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a perspective v1ew ofmy wire tying machine in an operative position upon a package for applying a looped tie wire under tension around said package.

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional plan view through the machine, the, tie wire belng omitted and the plane of section being centrally through the single shaft or spindle.

Figure 3 is a vertical cross section on the irregular line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a vertical cross section on the line 4-4: of Figure 2, illustrating one cutter of the double cutting mechanism.

Figure 5 is a vertical cross section on the line 55 of Figure 2 looking in the direction of the arrow and illustrating the other cutter of the double cutting mechanism.

Figure 6 is a horizontal sectional view through the throat of the machine frame and related parts, illustrating the manner of applying and tensioning a tie wire to position end portions of a looped wire in side by side or parallel relation prior to the operation of joining said end portions by a splice or knot usually produced thereon by twisting said end portions.

Figure 7 is a detail view ofthe knot or splice produced on the tie wire by the operation of the twisting mechanism embodiedin the machine, illustrating the cut extremities of the wire and their compact disposition with reference to the looped wire and the knot or splice.

As shown, the machine frame A is a simple casting embodying a base plate a with upstanding shaft bearings a which provide a plurality of parallel members a At the front part of the frame a slot or throat I) is formed in the members a and the front edge of said base plate is inclined at 5", the inclination or slope 6 being downwardly with respect to the slot or throat 5. At the rear part of the base plate is a raised'flange (3 acting as a stop and rest for the tension lever G and the twister-operating lever B.

E, F, are wire retainmg and shear members positioned against the outer faces of the parallel frame and members of, said members E F being shown in Figure 1, as positioned in recesses provided on the frame members at. These shear members are com posed of steel plates, fixedly attached to the rame members a and said shear members are provided with slots 6 7 which are in register or alinement with the throat 6 provided in the frame members (1 the outer ends of the slots 6 f being open. The inclined or sloping face 6' of the frame-base a, and the open ends of the slots e f, permit the free introduction of the wire tie into the throat I) when looping the'same around a package.

The frame members a are spaced as shown in Figure 6 to allow the use of twister supporting plates G G between them and to provide, also, for the introduction of the twister pinion H and the operatlng gear or segment I for said twister pinion. The plates G G, shown in Figures 1, 2 and 6, are positioned laterally between the frame members a and in contact witlrthe inner faces thereof, said plates G G being fixedly secured to the respective frame members a by any suitable means. Said plates G G are provided with openings serving as bearings for thejournals or end portions of the twister pinion H, see Figure 6, and thus the twisting pinion is supported steadily in place for free rotation within the frame, by the provision of simple and eflicient supporting means; The plates G G and the twister are readily removed when the twister becomes worn. through use, so that a worn twister can be replaced by a new twister with facility. As is usual in this art, the twister is provided with a radial slot h, and said twister when at rest is positioned within the frame and between, the plates G G for said slot h to be in alinement with the throat 7) and the slots 6,), see Figure 6.

' My machine embodies a single shaft J for the two levers C, l), and for the two tension headseli, L, thus simplifying the construction by reducing the number of parts. Said shaft is journaled in openings of the frame members a, the opposite ends of said shaft extending for considerable distances beyond the bearings provided in said frame members a in order to receive on said protruding ends of the shaft the rotatable heads K L of the tensioning mechanism. Said heads K L are attached fixedly to the shaft J by appropriate means, whereas the tension lever C and the twister lever D are sleeved loosely on the shaft, see Figure 2, whereby the shaft constitutes the axes of motion of the two levers and it carries the two tension heads K L. As shown, the tension lever is provided with a hub or sleeve 0 offset from one end with respect to the axial line of the lever arm, see Figure 2, said sleeve being fitted loosely on the shaft. J for contact with the frame member' a'a The other lever D'i's provided or made unitary with the gear segment I and provided with a hub 01' sleeve d, the latter being fitted loosely on shaft J between adjacent frame members a a, see Figure 2, and thus the two levers C D are mounted loosely on the shaft to swing or turn thereon when operated by hand.

The tension head K shown in Figures 1 and 2 is provided on one face with a ratchetJc, i. e. that face of the head which is nextto the sleeve 0 of tension lever C has formed thereon der m on the pin.

I and acting as a. feed pawl to impart a rotative step motion tothe head K, whereas the latter pawl P is mounted in a frame member a andacts to restrain backward rotation of. the head K under the pull or strain of the looped wire when tension is placed thereon, said pawls O P being shown in Figure 2. The sleeve formed part a of lever C is provided with a pocket 0 within which is loosely fitted the plunger constituting the feedpawl, and this pocket houses a spring 0, the latter acting to impel the operative face or end of the pawl plunger into contact with the face of the ratchet is so as to coact with any one of the teeth of said ratchet.

The check pawl P is a plunger shaped piece which is partly housedwithin a pocket 19 provided in one of the frame members a, said pawl P being under the influence of a spring P which acts on the pawl to impel its exposed active end into contact with thefratchet 7c of tension head K, said pawl P being so fashioned and engaging in such manner with the ratchet that the pawl P permits the ratchet to turn freely in one direction when the tension lever C is moved or swung in one direction, whereas said pawl P holds the ratchet 7c and head K from turning in an opposite direction under the pull of the tie wire after the latter-shall have been placed under tension. The check pawl P acts, also, to preclude the head K from rotative movement with lever C when the latter is returned to a normal position, in which it rests on the ledge b Said tension head K .is shown as being constructed for use with wire in cut lengths, i. e. wire straightened and out to one length or the other according to the dimensions of the package on which it is used. Two kinds of such cut length wire are now on the market, i. 9. plain round wire cut to appropriate length, and shouldered wire composed of straightened pieces of determined length and deformed as in the Cary Patent No. 1,419,110, June 6, 1922. Said head K is provided with a circumferential roove 7c. and a series of radial pockets 76 into either of which may be thrust one end of a piece of plain round wire or the plain end of a round wire deformed at one end of the character disclosed in said patent. In addition to'the groove is and thepockets 79 the head K is provided on the face other than the ratchet face it", with a plurality of radial recesses m forming a series of ofistanding abutments m, see Figure l, and in the body portion of the head K is mounted a series of rotatable members M in the form of cylindrical pins, each member being provided at the outer end with a recess m which produces a holdingshoul- This shoulder m is in facing relation to an abutment m, and when a deformed wire is used, the deformed end is thrust into the space bounded by the abutment m and the shoulder m whereupon the head K is rotated by hand so that the member M is rotated for the shoulder m and the to the head when tension is placed on the wire. The tension head K forms the subjectmatter of a separate application filed by me on ()ctober 8', 1924, Serial No. 741,514, and no further description thereof is required or necessary. 1

The double cutter mechanism includes two cutters or knives Q, R, the former being positioned in shearing relation to the member E, and the latter being arranged in similar relation to the member F. Said cutter Q is mounted on one of the frame members a by means of a pivot 9 so thatit stands vertically alongside of the member E, said cutter having acutting edge 9 and a depending shoulder 9 see Figure 4:. The cutter Q is arranged for the-cutting edge to move across the slot 6 in shear plate E, whereby the cutter Q is. in shearing relation to the said shear plate E. Said cutter is held in position by a concealed spring Q, housed within a pocket g* of the frame member, as shown in higure l, said cutter being retained in position for the cutting edge 9 to lie usually above the slot 6 to allow for the free introduction of the tie wire below said edge 9'. The cutter Q severs one of the two parallel parts of the wire, whereas the other cutter R severs the other of said parallel parts of the wire, and to this housed within a pocket a of the frame member a and as depicted in Figure 5. The notched lower edge 1" of thecutter t enables it to straddle that strand or length of the parallel wires which, at'the other end of the resulting knot or splice, is adapted to be cut by the edge 9 of cutter Q, whereas the edge 1* of said cutter R operates to sever the other strand or length of said parallel wires, as a result of which the looped tie wire remains intact around the package. The cuttcrsQ, R are actuated on the forward swing of the twister lever, the latter imparting rotative movement to the gear segment I for rotating the twister H in a manner to intertwist the parallel strand of the loopedtie wire, but the actuation of the cutters is timed with respect to the twisting ofthe parallel 1 erated by the lever D when it is moved forwardly to first rotate the twister and therestrands of the looped tie wire so that the cut ters sever the respective strands of the tie wire subsequently to the twisting of the looped tie, As shown, in Figure 2, lever D is provided with an enlarged integral mem- Y her S near one end of the ear segment I, and from the member S progects the studs 8 8, one of which contacts with an edge portion of cutter Q'and the other contacts with an edge of the cutter R, see dotted lines in after actuate the cutters successively. The springs Q' R hold the cutters Q R in the path of the studs 8 s, so that the two cutters are yieldable to" the pressure of said studs, and both cutters are thus normally out of the way of the tie wire when -looping the same around the package, the movement of the cutters in one direction being arrested by contact with the frame members a.

\ The member S of the twister lever carries means for taking up. the. shock of the lever when it is swung forcibly in one direction for operating the twister and is pressed forcibly downward to actuate the cutters Q R in severing the two strands of the looped wire. Said member S'carries a plurality of plungers S, one on each side of the gear segment I, said plungers being fitted slidably in transverse pockets t provided on the member R. Each plunger is encircled by a concealed spring S housed-within one pocket t, and at one end each plunger'is provided with an exposed contact piece If and at the other end with aretaining pin As the lever D is swung forward to rotate the gear segment I and twister H, the plungers S rest upon the upper faces of the frame members (1 and when the operator applies force downwardlig upon the lever D to actuate the cutters- Q for severing the wire, the twister is turned a certain angular distance, to complete the twisting operation and the plungers S S are yieldably forced by sliding in the pockets t and compressing the springs S with the result that the first period in the travel ofthe.

lever D is cushioned by the springs S Now when pressure on the levervD is relaxed, the recoil of the springs S lifts the lever Dv a certain distance and this turnsthe segment I and twister H a corresponding distance with a view to bringing the slot in the twister into alinement with the throat b and slots 6, f, and at the same time the notched edge r? of cutter R clears the stud s so that the spring R acts on the cutter R to return it to position in which-the notched edge 1' 1- of said cutter R is for minimi'zin clear from the "wire, it being apparent that the two springs Q R return the cutters eventually to their normal positions upon the backward swing of the twisting lever.

The frame members a at the front part of the frame are notched at u to receive the direction rolls U, oneat each side of the-throat rolls are mounte'd'for free rotation within the notched frame members, and these are positioned in the horizontal planeof the slot or throat b, and between said throat and the rotatable tension'heads, said rolls functioning as a means fordirecting the tie wire and the friction on said wire during the operatlon of tensioning the same.

The operation may be described briefly as follows: The machine is placed invany desired position 'upon'apackage, as in F1 ure 1, with thelevers C Dturned rearward y and resting upon the ledge 6 If a plain round wire tie is used, one end is'thrust into a pocket 70' and the head K turned by hand in a forward direction so as to bring the wire tie into position to bend it around a roll U. Assuming a shouldered wire is used, the deformed end is thrust between an abutment m and one member M, whereupon the head K is rotated to bring the wire into position to be bent around the roll U, and in this operation of turning the head K the pressure of the wire onthe member M turns the latter so that the shoulder m of the member M and the abutment m of the'headcoact in engaging with the shoulders on the respective sides of the deformed wire in a manner to retain said wire against slipping when tension is placed on the wire.

One end of the tie wire having been initially attached to the head K, the operator proceeds to bend the wire around the left.

hand roll U, and tolead the wire through slot 6, throat b, and slot 7, of the machine, after which the wire is looped around the package as in Figures 1 and 6, and thereafter the free part of the wire is again positioned in the slot e, throat b, and slot f, and is bent around the other roll'U and finally the extremity is partly wrapped around head L andbent into one of the slots Z thereof.

- The wire is now looped around the package, its two ends are attached to the heads K L and two strands of the wire are positioned in substantially parallel relation within the slot 6, throat I), and slot 7, see Figure 6, so that the plates E F will hold said strands during the twisting operation, and one strand of the wire crosses the other strand at the right hand roll U, see Figure 6. The operator now presses downward the lever D for holding the, 'fma-' chine steadily in place, and at the same time pullsupwardly the lever G to swing it for noes-bis being fast with shaft J, in turn rotates shalt J and head L concurrently with the rotative movement of head K, whereby the two heads K L are rotated together through a certain angular distance. The heads K L thus pull on the wire to tension it by straining the wireequally, the wire being pulled in opposite directions, and the strain or pull tending to draw into the slot 6, throat b, and slot j. The forward motion of the lever 0 thus rotates the two heads to apply tension to the wire, and the degree of this tension is within the skill and judgment of theoperator, so that any desired tension can be placed on the wire, even to the extent of straining said wire to the breaking'point, although the operator will, of course, apply such tension as will insure the wire being embedded in the corners of the package, At this stage, the check pawl F restrains the head K from turning in a reverse direction under the pull of the wire around the package, and it is due to thisrestraining influence of the pawl P co-o erating with the ratchet A? that the two hea s and the shaft J will not slacken tension on the wire. The operator now reverses the tension lever while the check pawl Fis acting on the ratchet, so that the lever C is returned to a wire confined at the time in the slots 6 f andthroat b, As the twlster completes the twisting operation, the studs 8 8' press the cutters Q, R for the cutting edges'g r to sever the respective strands of wire and thus out the surplus wire f om the loop, the effect of which is to sever the two parts or the wire connected respectively to the heads K L and to release the machine from an anchored relation to the tied loop. is the lever D 18 pressed -forclblv downwa d to sever the two wires, the springs s S are compressed to cushion the c E a. a L n i sta e of its movement, but

aressurc is relaxed, lever D is re turned by he springs S to a position wherein the twister H is returned to a position for the slot to align with slots 6 f and throat 5, and the studs 5 s are practically tree from the cutters ll which are returned by their springs to normal positions, whereby the edges g r are free from contact withthe wire, said cutters operating to sever the wire at points close to the ends of the splice or knot and the twister having acted to turn the wire ends as shown in Figure 7, wherein said ends are disposed incompact relation to the loop wire so that there are no protruding ends to catch and injure'the hands of the workmen who may be called upon to handle the tied package, The machine is now shoved back away from the knot or splice, the wire being free to pass out of the throat Z) and slots e f.

The operations of looping the wire, placing tension thereon to the required extent, twisting the wire, and severing the wire are performed easily and quickly by unskilled opera" tives, the machine being semi-automatrc in respect to the operation of its working parts.

Having thus fully described the invention, what ll claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is I 1. A wire tying machine embodying a shaft, a plurality of tension heads rotatable therewith, a tension lever, means operated by the lever for imparting a rotative motion to the shaft and the heads, and splice forming means for joining a looped band while said band is under tension by the action of said heads. 7

2. A wire tying machine embodying a plurality of rotatable tension heads each having means for the attachment of a wire loop thereto, a tension lever, clutch means operated by the lever for imparting a rotative movement to said heads, and splice-forming means operable upon the wire loop under tension, position to rest upon the ledge 6 and then the operator presses wlth one hand down on 3. A wire tying machine embodying a plurality of rotatable heads each having means for the attachment of a wire loop thereto, shaft connecting said heads, a tensionilever, clutch nieans operated by the lever for imparting a'conjoint rotative movement to said heads, and splice-forming means operable upon the wire loop;

4, A wire tying machine embodying a wire receiving throat, a shaft at one side of said throat, a plurality of heads on said shaft, said heads being provided with means for the attachment thereto of a wire loop, a

tension lever, clutch means operated by the lever for imparting a conjoint rotative movement to the shaft and said heads, splice forming means operable on the wire loop.

5. [a wire tying -machine shalt, a plurality of ension l which is fast with said shaft of which heads is loose on the sha f tation in one direction relatively "h heads being provided with means 5 tschment of looped wire tie and sale ly mounted head being rotatable at w the initial attachment oi -said wire tie, sion lever, clutch means operated by l i lever for imparting conjoint rotative novemcnt to the shaft and said heads, and splice forming means for lapping portions said wire loop.

6. A wire tying machine embodying a shaft, a plurality of tension members one of which is free on the shaft is operable will upon the initial attachment of a wire tie, a tension lever, clutch means operable by said lever whereby the movement of said tension through one of which heads to the shaft and the tension heads are rotated concurrently with the shaft for straining the looped wire tie by pulling in opposite directions thereon, and splice-forming means for uniting the wire tie to produce a closed loop.

8. A wire tying machine embodying a shaft, a plurality of tension heads each having means f or the attachment of a looped wire tie, a tension lever, one of said heads provided with a ratchet, a tension lever, a feed pawl carried by said lever and engaging said ratchet for imparting rotative movement to said head and through the shaft for imparting rotative movement to the other head, and splice-forming means operable at will for joining the wire tie to produce a closed loop.

9. A wire tying machine embodying ashaft, a tension head provided with a ratchet, a lever loose on the shaft, a feed pawl carried by the lever and co-operable with the ratchet, a second tension hea'd fast with the shaft, said two named tension heads operating to pull in opposite directions upon a looped wire tie, and splice-forming means operable at will for joining the wire tie to produce a closed loop.

10. A wire tying machine embodying a shaft, a tension head provided with a ratchet.

a lever loose on the shaft, a feed pawl carried by the lever and co-operable with the ratchet, a secondtension head fast with the shaft, said two named tension heads being rotatable conjointly and operating to pull in opposite directions upon a looped wire tie, a check pawl co-operating with the ratchet for restraining rotative movement of said two tension heads under the strain of an applied looped wire tie, and spliceeforming means operable at will for joining a wire tie into a eiosed loop.

11. In a wire tying machine embodying a threat for receiving side by side portions of a wire tie when formed into a loop, a shaft, a plurality of tension members each having means for the attachment of a wire tie, a lever for operating said shaft and tension members for imparting conjoint rotative movement thereto, tie directing means 0- sitioned for determining the path of the wire tie when looping the same. and splice-forming means for joining the wire tie to produce a closed loop. I v

12. A wire tying machine embodying a threat for receiving side by side portions of a wire tie when formed into a loop, a shaft, a plurality of tension members each having means for the attachment of a wire tie, a lever for operating said shaft and rotating the tension members concurrently for pulling in opposite directions on the looped wire tie, tie directing means intermediate the tension members and said throat Whereby the movement of the tension members draws the side by side portions of a wire tie laterally into the throat, and splice-forming means operable at will for'joining the side by side portions of the wire tie to produce a closed loop.

In testimony whereof I have hereto signed my name this 23 day of October 1924.

JOHN SHERMAN MCGHESNEY. 

